


More Than Just a Game

by erikahk



Series: Story Lottery Challenge [6]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Random prompt, Rodney & Team, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 16:52:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5833213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erikahk/pseuds/erikahk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He observed the neat cities made of brick constructions and paved streets, the tiny people going on with their lives, the small vehicles parked in a straight line and little green bushes in the gardens. They had taken so much care of each detail. They had placed small pets, flowers, forests, villages, mountains and rivers in their exact places.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Than Just a Game

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt word: Playmobil

It was a world in its early industrial era. This city alone – Kilaria’s shining capital – had thousands of people. 

It was so promising. They had early experiments for machinery and steam engines, buildings with big furnaces and tall chimneys, smart scientists working on breakthroughs and a crudely efficient healthcare system. Normally, Rodney would be almost impressed.

He observed the neat cities made of brick constructions and paved streets, the tiny people going on with their lives, the small vehicles parked in a straight line and little green bushes in the gardens. They had taken so much care of each detail. They had placed small pets, flowers, forests, villages, mountains and rivers in their exact places.

The table was huge.

They had one room for each city and an entire building for their two countries, Kilaria and Clera. Perfect miniatures.

They called it the War Center. The workplace of battle commanders and desk generals while they planned the war and sent soldiers to their deaths. Each one placed on the table and ordered around through radio signals. The generals never left the safety of the fort walls and never saw the front lines. They never saw the faces of the soldiers they commanded. 

The war between their two biggest countries had been going on for a hundred years. A century of bloodshed that couldn't be seen in the small wooden pieces displayed neatly on the table. Rodney doubted they even knew what they were fighting for anymore. 

The stargate had been moved inside the fort. Reserved for military use only. The people sometimes banged on the fort’s gate, begging to flee to another planet. The guards scowled and spat on them, called them cowards and left them outside.

General Kragan was the top general and the leader of Kilaria. He was an older man, already in his mid-sixties, uniform worn but still pressed and clean. He stood by the table, his face serious and hands behind his back as he observed the city. He leaned on the table and removed two dozen of his units, discarding them into the box with a growing pile of dead dolls.

Then, three buildings at the edge of the city were also removed and given to the young boy on the general's side, also to be discarded. Five small vehicles followed. Enemy soldiers marched into the city. They outnumbered the defenders two to one. 

Rodney scowled. 

The general still looked stoic. His eyes wandered throughout the table and his hands still rested behind his back. His eyes narrowed for a moment and a brief hint of a smile showed for a millisecond before he turned solemn again. 

Their crude communications device beeped again and its clicks and noises became words written by the quiet woman on the corner. The young boy, not older than ten and already dressed as a soldier, took the message and delivered it to the general. The boy's steps were small and fast, his face serious.

General Kragan read the paper quickly then smashed it, the wrinkles on his face deepening. He dropped the paper in the boy's hands. Twenty more little soldiers joined the pile in the box but only two of the enemy's army. 

The general studied his table for a while. Then, he took two vehicles and moved them forward, three groups of units following. The boy watched the movements and wrote down the message for the woman to relay to the troops. Tapping and clicking filled the room for a few moments. 

A gentle hand on Rodney's shoulder made him turn abruptly to look at Teyla. Her face was soft and sad. She turned her head towards the door, where Ronon and Sheppard waited, their faces solemn. 

Rodney approached them, his steps muted by more clicking.

"Let's go," Sheppard whispered. 

Rodney looked back and forth between the team and the huge strategy table. Anger, frustration and sadness made his eyes glitter as the recently moved miniatures were quickly disposed, one after another. 

Teyla sighed beside him. Ronon grunted and turned away.

"We can't just leave these people like this." Rodney tried to keep his voice to a low whisper, but found that hard.

Teyla looked behind him briefly then returned her gaze to him. "Mister Woolsey said that any position we take would only make things worse."

Rodney refused to believe that. They were smarter. They had science and technology. They could make a difference. They could stop these people from destroying each other.

"Can't we get them to the negotiating table?"

Sheppard's face was tense and made him look older. "They refused our help." There was something in his voice. Something he tried to hide, but failed. 

Teyla shook her head wearily. "They won't listen to us." Her voice also had something there. It was softer and calmer, but showed a small hint of frustration.

 _But they should!_ Rodney almost shouted. Atlantis could help. They had the power. They had the knowledge and the ability. They were wiser and more experienced. These people _should_ listen to them.

Loud banging and screaming could now be heard outside. A soldier rushed past the team into the room and elite troops ran down the corridor.

"C'mon, Rodney. We have to go before the fort falls apart."

The walls started shaking and dust fell from the ceiling. Rodney looked at the table. It showed dozens of little soldiers and more dozens of larger vehicles surrounding the fort. Some city buildings were thrown into the box while the general’s fists shook on the table. 

Rodney swallowed heavily and followed the team to the gate. The screaming became louder as they rushed past the corridors, several groups of people running around in near panic. 

When the walls shook again, chunks of stone fell, crashing into the running people. Everything turned to chaos. Shouts and cries could be heard outside and inside the building. The loud rhythmic banging kept the dust raining down. 

The team ran past a semi-collapsed room. The miniature table was covered by rocks, the little wooden people smashed and broken. They hurried through it and entered the door to the gate room. 

The team was jumping through the wormhole when the ceiling gave way.


End file.
